Murder in Manhattan

Here we find Eleanor, Clifford, Gladstone, and the ladies in the Big Apple. New York City! They've successfully made it across the Atlantic, Hugh has proposed and headed back to England, and Eleanor and company are set to enjoy a lovely holiday in America. But murder finds them when Marty, the jovial doorman for their apartment block, is run over in the street. The police aren't inclined to pursue the matter, and the high society folks Eleanor is mingling with strongly encourage her to drop it.

But Eleanor's strong sense of justice won't let her leave it be. As she investigates, she comes up with more questions than answers. Why did Marty have a wad of cash stashed away? He couldn't have made that much money as a doorman. But he used to work for the wealthy Ogden P. Dellaney, also found dead in mysterious circumstances the following day. Are the two connected?

Verity Bright gives us another lovely literary confection here! Bright portrays a New York where everybody – cops, doormen, chauffeurs – is on the take somehow. People warn Eleanor that the city isn't kind to those who go poking their noses where they don't belong (what, Eleanor do that? Perish the thought!). But she persists. And at least one officer of the law, Officer Balowski, is willing to help Eleanor search for the truth. For their troubles, though, Eleanor is evicted from her apartment and Balowski is fired from the force. How much farther will the killer go to warn them off?

Not only do we have the main mystery, but we also have the irascible Mrs. Melchum and her snooty cat, Catamina. Mrs. Melchum isn't very kind to Eleanor, nor is she favorably inclined toward Gladstone (and who doesn't love Gladstone?!). The interactions between Gladstone and Catamina are pretty funny. Cat, dog, you get the drift. What happened in her past to make her so bitter? Will she ever warm to Eleanor?

With the cast of charming regulars and new characters to love (or not), a high society setting in the Roaring 20s, and a mystery that leads the reader on a merry chase, Murder in Manhattan is a joy to read. Can't wait to see what Eleanor gets up to next!